Service tray



Nov. 16, 1937. a BLOQMF'lELD 2,099,433

SERVICE TRAY Filed sept. 18, 195e A 'l Yam-uelloomeld INVENTOR.

H15 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. '16, 1937 UNITED STATES SERVICEl TRAY Samuel Bloomfield, Chicago, Ill. Y Application september 1s, 193e, serial No. 101,408

2 Claims.

cal in manufacture, and one readily adaptable forA connection and detachment from a door or other object of an automobile.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a support for a service tray of the character hereinafter described which may be readily collapsed and extended.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts toy be hereinafter described and claimed.

rThe invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is an end View of the invention, illustrating the same attached to a stationary object such as, for example, the door of an automobile;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional detail View of the same;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the invention illustrating the bottom thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the invention similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but showing the support for the tray in collapsed position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and Y Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view similar to that shown in Fig. 5, but taken substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 4, the section, however, being inverted from its position in Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the draw-V ing, forming a part of this application, and in which the preferred form of construction of the invention is illustrated, IIIindicates a service tray of a conventional construction and design.

Adjacentthe opposite end portions I I of this tray IIl I attach in parallel spaced relation with respect to each other supporting legs I2 formed as an integral part of an elongated bar member I3 secured to the bottom I 4 of the tray by suitable connecting elements such as are indicated at I5. These legs I2 extend downwardly from the bottom I4 of the tray I0, and are preferably covered with a tubing I6 of rubber or the like,

whereby to prevent Amarring or scratching the object from which the tray issuspended.

These supporting legs I2 in Vaddition to pro- 4viding means for connectionto the door I1 of,

an automobile, also serve to support the tray IIJ" in a substantially horizontal plane when Vpositioned upon a supporting vstructure such as, for example, a table or the like.

.PATENT OFFICE 'y Secured to the tray I0 between the bars I3 and,

in parallel spaced relation with respect thereto is a guide member I8 formed substantially channelshaped in cross-section to provide oppositely disposed guiding grooves I9. Slidably positioned between these grooves I9 isa brace member or arm 20, the upper end of which is provided with a transversely extending pin 2I, the ends 22 of which are disposed and ride in the grooves I9 when the brace arm is collapsed or extended in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

` At the end portion 23 of Ythe guide member I8 is a depending lip 24 which is adapted to engage the pin 2I to prevent accidental displacement of the pin 2l from the grooves I9. The opposite end portion 25 of the brace arm 20 is provided with an extended portion 26 outwardly of the pin 2I whereby when the brace arm 20 is disposed in extended position in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this extended portion will engage the base 21 of the guide member I8 and thereby limit the pivotal movement of the brace arm 20 in extended position shown.

Adjacent the pin 2I is a depending lip 28 preferably struck from the brace arm 20 to provide a finger piece whereby to facilitate collapsing and extending the tray supporting structure heretofore described and shown in the drawing.

Formed on the side walls of the brace arm 20, such as for example, 29, is an obstructing lip 30 which is adapted to engage in the groove I9V of the guide member I8'such as indicated at 3|, and wedge the brace arm 20 in the guide member I8 in the manner shown in Fig. 4, whereby to prevent accidental displacement of the brace 20 when not in use as a brace member for the tray I0.

To complete the invention, I attach to the tray or lower end portion 32 of the brace arm 20 a rubber knob or bumper 23 which performs the two-fold function of frictionally bearing against the adjacent portion of the door I1 and preventing the marring or scratching of the surface of the door I'I.

From the description herein it will be apparent that I provide a service tray and support there- 2 i for which is economical in manufacture and one which will be highly efficient in use.

While I have illustrated and described the pre-v ferred form of construction for carryingV my invention into effect this is capable of variation and modication without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A service tray having secured thereto means adapted for detachable connection to the upper edge of a vehicle door and adjustable brace means including an elongated channel member attached to the bottom of said tray and having opposite edge portions formed to provide oppositelyrdisposed longitudinally extending grooves, an elongated brace .arm of channel shaped cross section receivable in said channel member between said grooves thereof, a pin extended laterally through an end of said brace arm and having its ends received in said opposite grooves, said end of the brace arm being slanted to permit moving said arm about said pin as an axis from a position substantially within said channel member into a position at substantially degrees thereto, and means at the ends of said channel member for preventing movement of said brace arm and pin means out of axial ends thereof.

2. A service tray having secured thereto means adapted for detachable connection to the upper edge of a vehicle door and adjustable brace means including an elongated channel member attached to the bottom of said tray and having opposite edge portions formed to provide oppositely disposed longitudinally extending grooves, an elongated brace arm of channel shaped cross section receivable in said channel member between said grooves thereof, a pin extended laterally through an` end of said brace arm and having its ends received in said opposite grooves, said end of the brace arm being slanted to permit moving said arm about said pin as an axis from a position substantially within said channel member into a position at substantially 45 degrees thereto, means at the ends of said channel member for preventing movement oi' said brace arm and pin means out oi the axial ends thereof, said brace arm having means spaced substantially away from said pin member toward the opposite end of said brace arm and receivable in said channel member to prevent pivotal movement of the brace arm out of the channel member.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD. 

